SINGAPORE, 20 MAY 2026– The U.S.-ASEAN AI Ministerial was organised by the US Department of State, held on 20th May 2026, in Singapore on the sidelines of ATxSummit 2026. The Ministerial also marked the launch of “The Road to 50 years of ASEAN-U.S.Relations”, ahead of Singapore’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027.
The Ministerial was attended by Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helbery together with the ASEAN Digital Ministers and industry leaders from Amazon and Google came together for a candid exchange. The ASEAN Secretariat was represented by H.E. Satvinder Singh, Deputy-Secretary General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community.
Discussions focused on strengthening practical cooperation in AI development, governance, research and deployment. As part of the strategic economic transformation, there are plans to expand access to secure AI infrastructure, including advancing chops, compute capacity, data centres and trusted digital systems. Views were also exchanged on how best to address AI-related opportunities and risks including responsible use of emerging technologies and cybersecurity.
ASEAN welcomed the continued support of the U.S. in strengthening trusted technology supply chains, pursuing joint investments in Southeast Asia and addressing emerging AI-related opportunities and vulnerabilities. Strategic partnerships like the Pax Sicilia Initiative can help to deepen ASEAN-U.S. digital cooperation by building a network of trusted partners to advance secure and resilient technology ecosystems.
These efforts complement other initiatives including the U.S. AI Exports Program, which can support ASEAN Member States in advancing AI policy development and implementation. The Ministerial also underscored the importance of ensuring AI cooperation benefits businesses and communities including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
The U.S.-ASEAN AI Ministerial also highlighted the region’s growing role in the global semiconductor and AI value chain. As demand for AI infrastructure increases, ASEAN and the U.S. discussed opportunities to support resilient semiconductor ecosystems, promote trusted investments and strengthen regional manpower capabilities. These efforts position ASEAN Member States in a way that allows them to capture opportunities in the AI economy while building a skilled, future-ready workforce.
Looking ahead, ASEAN and U.S. reaffirm their commitment to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies bringing together U.S. innovation, frontier AI capabilities and advancing technologies with ASEAN’s scale. This closer integration can build globally connected AI supply chains while opening new areas of cooperation in climate resilience, healthcare, agriculture, food security, disaster management and space technologies.